Samantha and Chris are such a sweet, easygoing couple. They met each other on the dating site, Plenty of Fish, back in 2016. Sam actually messaged Chris first because she liked his beard in his profile picture. They chatted for a week before meeting up, and they have been inseparable ever since. When he proposed, Chris came home from work and laid out rose petals in the shape of a heart. When Samantha got home, he was anxiously waiting on one knee in the heart of roses to ask the love of his life to marry him. She gave him a resounding yes, and they have now been together for six years.
Our original plan for their engagement session was to shoot at two separate locations. The first one would be at Hyde Park, in front of the city boutiques, but the weather in Florida can be so unpredictable, and it looked like it was going to rain. We decided that it would be best to choose just one location and hope for the best. Samantha chose a beach location because she has always wanted portraits in the sand. Their wedding is going to take place in a botanical garden, so the couple was excited for a different vibe for the engagement photos.
We headed to Cypress Point Park, and it turned out to be perfect weather at the beach! Emily wore a gorgeous, simple floral dress, and Chris wore a classic white shirt and khaki pants. For portraits on the beach, simple patterns and natural colors are perfect. I could tell that Sam was a more introverted person, and it was so sweet to see how easily Chris could make her smile and make her feel comfortable. We had such a fun time together. We took barefoot portraits in the sand, and they were even willing to get in the water. Grooms are not always easy to work with in sessions, but Chris was so helpful and easy to work with. And don’t worry, we made sure to get some portraits that highlighted the beard that brought these two together! They are such kind, authentic people; I cannot wait to see where their love story takes them!
